Your question answered: What is a canvas?

Monday

Nov 12, 2012 at 3:33 PMNov 12, 2012 at 3:37 PM

QuestionWhat is a canvas?

Question What is a canvas?AnswerThe county board of canvassers certifies the results of all official primary and general elections.It is the process which produces official election results. It certifies the official number of valid votes cast for each candidate for each elected office, or the official number of valid yes or no votes cast on a ballot question.The County Election Official, in this case McPherson County Clerk Cathy Schmidt, presents the results of valid votes tabulated on election night and provisional ballots to the county board of canvassers at the canvass meeting after the election.The McPherson County canvas meeting will be at 9 a.m. Thursday at the county clerk's office.The canvassers review the reasons why the ballots are provisional and decide whether to count them. They take into account election law. McPherson County has 494 provisional ballots to be examined Thursday. Schmidt said many of these ballots were due to voters voting at the incorrect polling places. She said this number of provisional ballots is typical for a general election.Others were not able to provide proper ID at polling places. Voters who did not have ID have until the canvas to present their IDs to the county clerk so their ballots can be validated.Provisional ballots that are deemed valid are opened, counted and added to the official election results. The results are certified by the canvassers signatures, and the county seal is attached.